The AV 8B Harrier Was a Bad Idea That Worked

Read the article and support the channel here: https://ryanmcbeth.substack.com Get my SIGINT shirt here: https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/ryan-mcbeth The Marine Corps has officially retired the AV-8B Harrier II — one of the strangest, loudest, most dangerous, and most useful aircraft ever flown by Marines. The Harrier was not the fastest jet. It was not the longest-ranged. It was not easy to fly, and it definitely was not easy to maintain. But it could do something almost no other fixed-wing attack aircraft could do: operate from amphibious ships, forward bases, damaged runways, and places where normal jets simply could not go. In this video, we look at how the Harrier was invented, why the Marine Corps bought it, how it performed in Desert Storm, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and other conflicts, why pilots respected and feared it, why maintainers had such a hard time keeping it flying, and why the F-35B finally replaced it. The AV-8B is gone now. But the idea behind it is still very much alive. Sources and long-form version: RyanMcBeth.Substack.com Support the channel: Bunker Branding: [insert link] Substack: RyanMcBeth.Substack.com Books: [insert link] #Harrier #AV8B #USMC #MarineCorps #F35B #MilitaryAviation #AviationHistory #CloseAirSupport Based on the script’s core argument: the Harrier’s value was not that it was the best fighter, but that it let Marines bring fixed-wing close air support from amphibious ships and expeditionary bases. For uncensored video, check out my substack at: https://ryanmcbeth.substack.com Find the Global Warning Podcast on: Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/23JULpVI2lVBEl4PVh07t0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-warning-with-ryan-mcbeth/id1882061844 Like my shirts? Get your own at: https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/ryan-mcbeth Want a personalized greeting: https://www.cameo.com/ryanmcbeth Watch all of my long form videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt670_P7pOGmLWZG78JlM-rG2ZrpPziOy Twitter: @ryanmcbeth Instagram: @therealryanmcbeth BlueSky @ryanmcbeth Reddit: /r/ryanmcbeth Join the conversation: https://discord.gg/pKuGDHZHrz Want to send me something? Ryan McBeth Productions LLC 8705 Colesville Rd. Suite 249 Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA